Shock-absorber.



Gt H. RICHMOND.

SHOCK ABSORBER.

APPLICATION FILED 00120, 1910.

Patented June 3, 1913.

msmaso 1: will W ITNES sEs iai GERALD H. RICHMOND, F BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

SHOCK-ABSORBER.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented June 3, 1913.

Application filed October 20, 1910. Serial No. 588,048.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GERALD I-I. RIoHMoNn, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Bulfalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Shock- Absorbers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Myinvention relates generally to shock absorbers and more particularly to those in which a cushioning member is employed.

One object of my invention has been to produce a device which may be easily attached to. any vehicle and which shall be very simple in operation and durable in construction.

Another object has been to construct a several views of which:

i Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the'same. Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation taken on line A-B of Fig. 2 showing a portion of the cushioning member broken away. Fig. 1 is a fragmental section taken on line CD of Fig. 2 and shows the valve connection to the pneumatic cushioning member. Fig. shows the application of my invention to a vehicle.

a 10 represent-s the casing of my shock absorber which is composed of two parts, an upper 11 and a lower 12. The upper and lower parts are each provided with a plurality of fingers 13 and 14 respectively. The fingers carried by one part being slidably interlocked with those carried by the other part in such a manner that the said fingers form a'complete cylinder. Integral with the upper and lower parts of the casing are flanges 15 and 16 respectively by which the .device is secured in place, the upper part preferably to the vehicle supporting spring 19 (Fig. 5) and the lower part to the axle 20 of the vehicle to which the device is to be attached. Any suit'able means of connection may be employed.

A cushioning member, preferably a pneumatic ball, 17 is inclosed between the upper and lower parts 11 and 12 of the casing 10. Air is forced into the pneumatic ball 17 throughthe valve 18. Obviously any other suitable cushioning means instead of the pneumatic ball may be used with equal efficiency as, for instance, a.solid rubber ball or a spiral spring.

.Some means must be provided for preventing the two parts of the casing from being pulled apart too far and thus allow ing the fingers to disengage. This maybe carried outin any suitable way but prefer ably as shown in Fig. .5 where 21 represents the body of the vehicle to which is n fastened a heavy strap 22, said strap is passed beneath the axle 20 and thus limits the distance between the said body and axle.

When my device is placed in position the pneumatic ball 17 is inflated by means of an air pump. This will cause the upper and lower parts 11 and 12 of the casing to separate. As the vehicle passes over rough spots in the road these parts of the casing will tend to come together thus causing the air contained in the pneumatic ball to be compressed and thereby absorbing the shock to the vehicle body and all the parts carried by it. I

As my device is formed in the shape of a cylinder with slidably interlocking fingers, all lateralmovementbetween the upper and lower casing parts is eliminated while still allowing a free vertical movement between them and thus preventing any possibility of injury to or pinching of the pneumatic ball.

While I have shown my device placed between the spring and axle of the vehicle, obviously it may be placed between the body and axle, or between the vehicle supporting spring and the body, or between any two objects which it is desired to cushion.

Clearly some modifications as to details as herein described and shown, may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention and I do'not wish to be limited to the exact embodiment herein described and shown.

What I claim is:

1. A shock absorber comprising an inclosed casing formed with an upper and a lower part, a plurality of slidably interlocking fingers carried by each of said upper and lower parts, and cushioning means carried within said casing, said plurality of fingers completely inclosing said cushioning means, whereby said casing parts may be moved toward or away from each other and the said casing kept completely closed.

2. A shock absorber comprising an inclosed casing formed with an upper anda lower part each of said parts being provided with a plurality of fingers, the fingers of one part being'slidably disposed between the fingers of the other said part, and a pneumatic ball carried within said casing, said plurality of fingers completely inclosing said pneumatic ball, whereby said casing parts may be moved toward or away. from each other and the said casing kept completely closed.

said casing, said plurality of fingers completely inolosing said cushioning means, whereby said casing parts may be moved to ward or away' from each other while the said casing is kept completely closed and so that said cushioning means are kept from undue wear and from being pinched.

In testimony whereof; I have hereunto set my hand in' the presence of two witnesses. GERALD .H. RICHMOND.

Witnesses:

ETHEL A. KELLY, J. WM. ELLIS. 

